DON'T TURN DOWN DIVINE INVITATION
(Luke 14:15-24)
It is an honour to be invited to
an occasion. Jesus is the one inviting us to be partakers in the great banquet.
He tells us that everything is ready. Thus, we got no reasonable reason not to
be part of this feasting. And He says: "Blessed is he who shall eat bread
in the kingdom of God!"
Those invited kept giving
excuses. What are the excuses you give God to turn down His invitation? Are
those excuses worth it? You bought a
field? You used your divinely endowed treasure to buy a land to keep tilling
without positive harvest when you have a kingdom.
You have married a wife? You use
family problems and hustling to keep the home together as an excuse to keep God
aside? You steal, kill, and do anything possible relegating God at the
background? To preserve your human family, the love of this world, you
sacrificed and trashed the love of God?
If you don't dine at the table of
the Lord, if you do not enjoy the heavenly delicacies then check well there is
an attractive poison distracting you. The Lord wants to get your attention in
full. He wants you to salivate for the food of life everlasting.
Do not turn Him down again. You
may have done it for long. Please stop. The Lord invites you to the table of
the Eucharist to come and eat the food of angels. He invites you to come and
hear His word of eternal life. He beckons you to come and be reconciled with
Him at the confessional. He bids you come and bless your union with your life
partner. He calls on you to take the sacraments of the Church seriously.
I will tell you whom you must
turn down. Turn him down who invites you to sin. Turn him down who has no
respect for your spiritual standing. Turn him down who lures you out of your
kingdom goals. Turn down that invitation that makes you not to attend Mass,
especially on a Sunday. Turn down that invitation to live a sad life. Turn down
that call for evil conversation. Turn down that immoral relationship. Turn down
that fraudulent activity. Turn down the call to be where God detests. Turn down
that the intrusion of that home breaker.
Jesus is calling you to focus on
the things that are above. Do not be like those who will be perpetually denied
of having a taste of the divine banquet because of turning God down when He was
calling. As God calls you to repentance and holiness, do not turn Him down. As
He wants you to eat from His table of blessing, peace and favours do not weary
yourself with things that are worthless. The Lord knows your worth. He cares
about your good and the good of your soul.
As the Lord sends out His invitation
through your right conscience telling you to listen to God, pay heed. As be
appeals to you through the word of God you hear daily, harden not your heart.
As you receive this invitation through your good friends encouraging you to do
good and flee from evil, listen and obey.
When you fail to accept God's
call, you will play yourself into wrong hands. God forbid!
Let us Pray
Lord God, thank you for the
invitation you give us continually. Please Lord, do not get tired sending out
your invitations. A lot of other voices continue to invite us too. Their
deceptive calls seem to draw us more because we are more inclined to their
Greek gifts. Help by your grace to be firm in accepting your holy call. Save us
from the misfortune of watching your table from afar. We don't want to worship
from afar, draw us closer to you O God, through Christ our Lord. Amen
St Martin dear Pores, Pray for
us.
God bless your Tuesday ( 31st
Week, Ordinary Time)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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